Official Tumblr of We Need Diverse Books

A non-profit and a
grassroots organization of children’s book lovers that advocates
essential changes in the publishing industry to produce and promote
literature that reflects and honors the lives of all young people.

Heartdrum, a new HarperCollins imprint led by Cynthia Leitich Smith (Muscogee Creek) has officially launched!

Leitich Smith says: “Heartdrum is a new Native-focused imprint offering a wide range of innovative, unexpected, and heartfelt stories by Native creators, informed and inspired by lived experience, with an emphasis on the present and future of Indian Country and on the strength of young Native heroes.”

Heartdrum titles THE SEA IN WINTER by Christine Day and ANCESTOR APPROVED: INTERTRIBAL STORIES FOR KIDS, edited by Cynthia Leitich Smith, are out now! More about the imprint here.

(Source: cynthialeitichsmith.com)

heartdrum native american indigenous cynthia leitich smith christine day

Feb 19, 2021

The second star from the right will take them very far from home…

Lily and Wendy have been best friends since they became stepsisters. But with their feuding parents planning to spend the summer apart, what will become of their family—and their friendship?

Little do they know that a mysterious boy has been watching them from the oak tree outside their window. A boy who intends to take them away from home for good, to an island of wild animals, Merfolk, Fairies, and kidnapped children.

A boy who calls himself Peter Pan.

* * *

We Need Diverse Books is excited to reveal the cover of Cynthia Leitich-Smith’s forthcoming Indigenous-centered Peter Pan retelling, SISTERS OF THE NEVERSEA (June 1, 2021 from Heartdrum). The cover was illustrated by Floyd Cooper. Read more about the book here!

(Source: diversebooks.org)

cynthia leitich smith sisters of the neversea native american native representation we need diverse books cover reveal

Oct 07, 2020

“WNDB is thrilled to reveal the cover for We Are Still Here! Native American Truths Everyone Should Know by Traci Sorell, illustrated by Frané Lessac! The book will be released on April 21, 2021, by Charlesbridge.
For more about the book, including...

WNDB is thrilled to reveal the cover for We Are Still Here! Native American Truths Everyone Should Know by Traci Sorell, illustrated by Frané Lessac! The book will be released on April 21, 2021, by Charlesbridge.
For more about the book, including how to pre-order, see the reveal post on our blog.

(Source: diversebooks.org)

we are still here traci sorell frane lessac native american native representation picture books cover reveal

Sep 03, 2020

“We Need Diverse Books is excited to reveal the cover of ANCESTOR APPROVED: INTERTRIBAL STORIES FOR KIDS, an anthology set at a powwow that bursts with community and Native pride, edited by Cynthia Leitich Smith and illustrated by Nicole Neidhardt.
”

We Need Diverse Books is excited to reveal the cover of ANCESTOR APPROVED: INTERTRIBAL STORIES FOR KIDS, an anthology set at a powwow that bursts with community and Native pride, edited by Cynthia Leitich Smith and illustrated by Nicole Neidhardt.

(Source: diversebooks.org)

cynthia leitich smith ancestor approved native american native representation we need diverse books diverse anthologies

Jun 10, 2020

"Mainstream writing education opportunities are vital, but we also need spaces wherein the focus is on topics of concern to individual communities."

Cynthia Leitich Smith, who spoke to WNDB about the Heartdrum imprint for Native voices, her dynamic YA novel HEARTS UNBROKEN, and the Native Writing Intensive, which is open for applications now.

(Source: diversebooks.org)

cynthia leitich smith hearts unbroken native representation native american we need diverse books

May 18, 2020

“We Need Diverse Books is excited to announce an online Native Children’s and YA Writing Intensive that will take place from August 13, 2020, through August 16, 2020, with faculty including Cynthia Leitich-Smith, Traci Sorell, Rosemary Brosnan, and...

We Need Diverse Books is excited to announce an online Native Children’s and YA Writing Intensive that will take place from August 13, 2020, through August 16, 2020, with faculty including Cynthia Leitich-Smith, Traci Sorell, Rosemary Brosnan, and Linda Camacho.

(Source: diversebooks.org)

native american writing opportunities writing intensive cynthia leitich smith traci sorell we need diverse books

May 06, 2020

cynthialeitichsmith.com

Home & Classroom Teaching: Native American Children's-Teens' Books & Resources

With tremendous appreciation of all the teachers and child-caregivers who’re navigating this difficult time, Cynthia Leitich Smith has assembled a list of Native children’s and young adult (teen) books along with supplemental educational and/or entertaining resources.
It reflects only a few highlights from the quickly growing, engaging body of literature for young readers, created by Native creators.
The books were selected in part due to their curriculum tie-in potential and in part due to the tie-in activities, lesson plans, interviews, articles, etc. readily available for each.

(Source: cynthialeitichsmith.com)

educational resources covid19 resources homeschooling we need diverse books native american

Apr 18, 2020

indiancountrymedianetwork.com

Native Representation in Children’s Books Is Lacking; Native Author Steps Up - Indian Country Media Network

There are not very many children’s books with characters that Native American kids can identify with; Native author Daniel Vandever is working to change that.

“What you see in books matters,” said Reese, a member of the Nambe Pueblo. “If you like reading and you see yourself in books, you know that you matter. On the flip side, if you never see yourself in books, or if you see negative stereotypes of yourself, you disengage because it’s not meeting your needs.”

tribal Native American Indigenous literature kidlit children's books

Aug 31, 2017

Native Voices Roundtable Part 1: Sharing Stories & Talking Back (Part 1 of 2)

Introduction by Cynthia Leitich Smith I remember sitting too close to the television, watching Buffy St. Marie on Sesame Street. How strange that a real Indian woman had somehow found her way onto …

WNDB’s Roundtable on Native Representation and Identity is worth a read.

-NT

native rep native american

Dec 09, 2015

Current Representations of American Indians in Children's Publishing

November is Native American Heritage month, which offers a timely reason to take a look at the status of representation of American Indians in children's literature.

PW does a fantastic article about the current state of rep of Native Americans in children’s and YA lit.

native american heritage month native american representation

Nov 28, 2015

nytlive.nytimes.com

Last remaining speaker of Native language painstakingly creates dictionary

In the U.S., more than 130 Native American languages are endangered, and some are spoken by only a handful of people. Marie Wilcox is the last fluent speaker of the Wukchumni language. At 81 years ...

snarkaeologist:

The dictionary took seven years. Marie worked on it constantly, sometimes until late at night, writing down remembered words on scraps of paper and typing them up slowly and carefully. Now she and her daughter hold weekly Wukchumni language classes, and she’s recording an audio version of the dictionary with her grandson.

(via perfumebottle)

language linguistics native american

Nov 26, 2015

American Indians in Children's Literature (AICL): Some thoughts on YA lit and American Indians

Debbie Reese offers recommendations for Native American lit that have strong depictions of characters and respect for the American Indian Community. Recommendations include books by Tim Tingle, Cynthia Leithch-Smith, Richard Van Camp.

native american american indian native american representation native american ya books native american authors aicl american indians in children's literature

Apr 03, 2015

storify.com

#SupportWNDB Native American Chat (with images, tweets) · jbakernyc

Captions of the Nov. 18th #SupportWNDB Native American Chat

Here are captions of the tweets from last week’s #SupportWNDB twitter chat on Native American representation in books in case you missed it!

debbie reese native american native american representation supportwndb twitter chat AICL

Nov 23, 2014

Four Mistakes Made in Children's Literature About Natives and Books that Fix Them

In an article with Indian Country Today, publisher of American Indians in Children’s Literature, Debbie Reese makes note of books with bad representations of Native Americans and how these can be rectified in children’s literature.

debbie reese children's literature native american native american representation in children's literature we need diverse books proper representation people of color

Nov 20, 2014

Official Tumblr of We Need Diverse Books

A non-profit and a grassroots organization of children’s book lovers that advocates essential changes in the publishing industry to produce and promote literature that reflects and honors the lives of all young people.

Home & Classroom Teaching: Native American Children's-Teens' Books & Resources

Native Representation in Children’s Books Is Lacking; Native Author Steps Up - Indian Country Media Network

Native Voices Roundtable Part 1: Sharing Stories & Talking Back (Part 1 of 2)

Current Representations of American Indians in Children's Publishing

Last remaining speaker of Native language painstakingly creates dictionary

American Indians in Children's Literature (AICL): Some thoughts on YA lit and American Indians

#SupportWNDB Native American Chat (with images, tweets) · jbakernyc

Four Mistakes Made in Children's Literature About Natives and Books that Fix Them

A non-profit and a
grassroots organization of children’s book lovers that advocates
essential changes in the publishing industry to produce and promote
literature that reflects and honors the lives of all young people.